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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />determined that is not necessary to supplement the FEIS. <br /> <br />Comment/Issue 4: Disagreement on the acceptance of the Basin States proposal as an <br />alternative and its identifl:ation as the preferred ahernative. <br /> <br />Response: The Basin States Alternative and its identification as the preferred altcrnative is <br />addressed in Chapter 2.3.2 of the FEIS. The working draft of the Basin States Proposal <br />was published in the Federal Register during the DEIS public comment process. The <br />Federal Register notice on the draft Basin States Proposal is included in the FEIS in <br />Chapter 5.9. <br /> <br />Comment/Issue 5: Thc Ten Tribes Partnership, by letter dated January 8, 200 I, expressed <br />concerns regarding the impact of the Interim Surplus Guidelines on the Tribes' reserved <br />water rights. The Tribes noted their disagreement with Reclamation's analysis and the <br />pos~ion taken by the Department of the Interior with regard to its trust responsibility on <br />Tribal water rights in thc FEIS. Additionally, the Tcn Tribcs Partnership requested <br />Reclamation to assist thcm in on-rcservation development of their water resourccs. <br /> <br />Response: As an initial matter, Rcclamation fully identified and analyzed Tribal water <br />rights in the FEIS in Chapter 3 .14, their Depletion Schedule in Attachment Q, and fully <br />responded to Tribal COlmrents on the DE IS in Volume III, pages 8-164 through 219 of <br />the FEIS. <br /> <br />Additionally, as part of its analysis of the proposed federal action in the EIS, Redanntion <br />identified a significant quantity of confirmed but unused water rights belonging to several <br />Indian tribes in the Colorado River basin. These undeveloped rights are a factor in the <br />available water supply which is being managed as surplus. <br /> <br />The Department, as trustee, believes that these surplus guidelines will benefit the tribes by <br />helping to ensure that CalitOmia does not develop a penmnent reliance on unused water <br />rights. By the same token, the Department belcves it important for the tribes to develop <br />and utilize their waterrights. Accordingly, the Department directs the Bureau of <br />Reclamation to provide appropriate assistance (including technical and tinancial <br />assistance) to each of the relevant tribes to establish a water use plan fOr on-reservation <br />development. <br /> <br />VII. Alteration of Project Plan In Response To Public Comment <br /> <br />Public comments on the FEIS did not result in changes to the proposed action nor selection of the <br />Preferred Ahcrnative. <br /> <br />9 <br />